Combination playpen and crib



Feb. 19, 1957 J ziMMERMAN 2,781,526

COMBINATION PLAYPEN AND CRIB 3 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 4, 1953 INVENTOR.

BYJZMEZS A -Z/MME'FMAN QWW Wm ATTOe/VE Y5 Feb. 19, 1957 J. L. ZIMMERMAN 2,781,526

COMBINATION PLAYPEN AND CRIB Filed Sept. 1953 s Sheets-Sheet 2 5/ !l u H I I w H n n H H l 1' i Y H; H 4 1r I i :j iz'iiji iii-5:1 I 7 5 li 4 i Z5 Y 47 4 4 46 4 j 2 I I I 4 i I P 42 a 4'5 \l8 IN V EN TOR.

1 J34 MES L. Z/MMEEMAN 28 y wmflmm Mom Feb. 19, 1957 J. L. ZIMMERMAN 2,781,526

COMBINATION PLAYPEN AND CRIB Filed Sept. 4, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR.

COMBINATION PLAYPEN AND CRIB James L. Zimmerman, Mansfield, Ohio Application September 4, 1953, Serial No. 378,595

2 Claims. (CL -93) This invention relates to an improved combination baby play pen and crib.

.The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved combination baby play pen and crib which is simple in construction, which is easy to convert from a baby pen to a crib, and vice versa, and which involves relatively inexpensive components.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved combination baby play pen and crib which is relatively compact in size, which is neat in appearance, which is readily adjustable in height when used as a crib to suit the requirements of a babys attendants, and which is durable in construction.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved combination baby play pen and crib constructed in accordance with the present invention, shown in extended position for use as a play pen.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the combination play pen and crib of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional detail view similar to Figure 5 but showing a modification in the crib corner construction of the combination crib and play pen of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the combination crib and play pen shown in Figures 1 to 5 arranged for use as a crib and elevated to a desired height.

Figure 8 is a vertical transverse cross sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the baby seat-carrying panel employed in the combination play pen and crib of Figures 1 to 8.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 to 5 and 7 and 8, the combination baby crib and play pen illustrated therein is designated generally 11 and comprises a main crib body 12 having a rectangular bottom wall 13, a single longitudinal side wall 14 and respective end walls 15, 15, the walls 14 and 15, 15 being of the usual construction, namely having the spaced vertical slats 16. Designated at 17 is an auxiliary section having a rectangular bottom wall 18, a single longitudinal side wall 19 and respective end walls 20, .20,

the side wall 19 and the end walls 20, 20 being of the same construction as the corresponding side and end walls of the main crib section 12. The auxiliary section 17 is substantially equal in width to the main crib section 12 but is slightly shorter so that the auxiliary section 17 is telescopically received in the main section 12 by ele- Patent ice ners with depending legs 21 to support the auxiliarysection in a horizontal coplanar relationship with respect to the main crib section when the auxiliary section is extended.

Designated at 22, 22 are respective wheeled frames provided with upstanding, inwardly facing angle bars 23 at their corners which slidably engage the related vertical corner posts 24 of the main crib section 12, the angle bars 23 being provided at their top ends with retaining loops 25 embracing the corner posts 24-and slidably retaining the cornerposts 24 in engagement with the angle bars 23. V e v t The wheeled frames 22 include transverse end bars 26, 26 connected to the bottom ends of the upstanding posts 23. Each frame '22 is provided with casters 28,

as shown. Removably supported on the frames beneath the main crib section 12 is a rectangular panel 28 which comprises a rectangular frame 29' of stiff metallic bar material having secured thereon a rigid plate 30 at one end of the frame 28 and a flexible sheet 31 of suitable durable material, such as canvas or plastic sheet material at the outer end of the panel 28. The rigid plate 30 is formed with an aperture 32 in which is secured a baby seat 33 of flexible material.

Fastened to the bottom end portion of the flexible seat 33 is a ring 54 which may be engaged with a hook 55 secured to the under side of the plate 30 forwardly adjacent the seat 33, as shown in Figure 9. By engaging the ring 54 with the hook 55, the seat 33 will be held in an inoperative collapsed position against the underside of plate 30, as when the panel 28 is in the position shown in Figure 7. The ring 54 is disengaged from hook 55 when the seat is to-be used.

Secured to the lower end portions of the corner posts 24 of the main crib section 12 are loops 34 which extend around and slidably receive the lower ends of upstanding angle bars 23. Pivoted to the lower portions of the end walls 15, 15 of the main crib section 12 are horizontally extending latch rods 36, journalled in brackets 37, 37 secured to the bottom bars of the end walls 15, 15 adjacent the ends of said bars, as shown in Figure 7. The latch rods 36 have on their ends hook latches 38, 38 which are engageable through apertures provided in the loops 34 and in selected vertically spaced apertures 39 in upper portions of the angle bars 23 so as to support the main crib section in selected elevated positions, or alternatively, are receivable in apertures 40 provided in, lower portions of the angle bars 23 so as to lock the main crib section 12 in a lowered position, as shown in Figure 1. Each of the latch bars 36 is provided at its intermediate portion with a, locking hook 41'WhlCh is frictionally engageable in a spring hook element 42 de-. pending from the intermediate portion of the adjacent bottom bar of the associated end wall 15 to lock the end bars of the main section 12, so that portions of the.

end bars 43 of'the end walls 15, 15 of the main crib section 12 and pairs oflink'rods 46 and 47 define parallel linkages atthe respective connections of the auxiliary,

section 17 to the lower bars 48 of the end walls 15, 15' of the main crib secti0n12. Thus, the auxiliary section 17 can be swung upwardly and inwardly from theextended position .thereof' shown in Figures 1 and 2 in a the bottom plate 18 of the auxiliary section '17when the auxiliary section is in its extended position shown in Figure '2, whereby the device may be employed as a baby play pen. The legs 21 of the auxiliary section '17 support the bottom board '18 in horizontal coplanar relationship with the bottom board 13 of the main crib section 12. The top portions of the corner posts 24 of the main crib section 12 at the open side: of said crib section 12 are provided withap ertured,'lateral-ly extending brackets "50 which receive depending pins 51 carried by the free ends or the top bars 52 of the end'walls 20, 20 of the auxiliary section 17, whereby the top'bars'sz are locked to the upper sections of the corner posts'24 of the main crib section 12 when the auxiliarysection 17'is extended to the position thereof shown in Figures '1 and 2 to define a baby play pen. When it is desired tocontion except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a combined crib and play pen, substantially similar but reversed stationary and movable sections, the movable section being shorter than the stationary section, said sections each comprising a side wall and end walls connected to the side wall, said side walls having free ends, said movable section being telescoped into said stationary section with the movable section and walls positioned along the inner sides of the stationary section end Walls'with the free endsof the'movable section end vert the play pen to a baby crib, the auxiliary section 17 v is lifted from the position thereof shown in Figure 2 and rotated, counterclockwise, as viewedin Figure '2,to' telescope the auxiliary section 17 into the main crib section 12, whereby the longitudinal Wall 19 of the auxiliary section 17 defines a closure for the open side of the main crib section 12, and the floor 18 of the auxiliary section 17 is superimposed upon the'floor 13 of the main crib section 12, as shown in Figure 8. The telescoped sections 12 and 17 may then be elevated to a desired height by first disengaging the hook latches 38 of the latch rods 36, then elevating the telescope'd sections to the'desired height, and then re-engaging the hook latches 38 through the apertures in the brackets 34 and into the apertures 39 in angle bars 23. i

A playpen mattress 53 maybe folded, as shown in Figure 7, and then placed in thecrib'enelosure thus defined, whereby the device 7 may be employed as a sleeping; crib.

When so desired, the panel 28 maybe lifted "from? beneath thecrib and placed on top of the, crib, with "the ends of the panel supported on the top bars of the juxtaposed end walls 15, 20 of the section 12 and 17, sothat the panel 28 may be employed either as a feeding table for the baby, the baby being supported in the flexibleseat 33, was a dressing table for the baby, the baby being supported on the flexible sheet 31. V 7

Referring now to Figure 6, in alternative forms of the main section 12.and wheeled frames 22, the wheeled frames 22. having upstanding tubular corner posts '23 which are slidablytelescopedin tubular'corner posts 24' on the main-crib section '12. The, posts 23' are provided with vertically spaced apertures 3 9' in their upper portions and 'lower portions'of the-posts-23' are provided with apertures 40, The posts '24 are similarly provided in their lower'portions of themain crib body, designated at 12'. The upstanding tubular members 23' are provided with the spaced apertures 39' at theirupper portionsand the corner posts 24' are provided at their lower portions with apertures 10'. The tubular upstanding members 23 are similarlyprovided 'at'their lower portions with aperturesdl which may be, registered with theapertures 40' to receive the-hook arms 38 ofthelatch rods 36, whereby the crib section 12 may be locked in its lowered position, as'shown in Figure 1. The 'crib section 12' may be locked in an elevate'dposition by' engaging the-hook latches 38-through the ap'erturesdo'into selected apertures39lj V While certain specific embodiments of an improved combination play pen and baby crib have beendisclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications Within 'the spirit of the invention mayoccur to those'skilled in the'art. Therefore, it is intended-that no limitations be placed upon the invenwalls adjacent to the stationary section side wall, the end walls of the sections having lower ends, said sections having bottom walls at the lower ends of the end walls with the bottom wall of the movable section overlying and spaced above the bottom wall of the stationary section, and pairs of links pivoted atone end to points spaced along the lower ends of the movable section end walls and at another end to points spaced along the lower en'ds'ofthe stationary section end walls enabling swinging said movable section upwardly and outwardly of said stationary section to an extended position alongside of said stationary section with the free ends of the end walls of the sections in close proximity to each other, 'a horizontal frame underlying said stationary section, said stationary section and said frame having vertical corner posts, means confining the corner posts of the frame to tion, said-sections each comprising a side wall and end walls connected to the sidewall, said side walls having free ends, said movable section being telescoped into said stationary section with the movable section end 7 walls'positionedialong the inner sides of the stationary section end walls with the free ends of the movable-section end walls adjacent to the stationary section side wall, the end walls of the sections having-lower ends, said sections having bottom walls at the lower ends of M the end walls with the bottom wall of the movable section' overlying and spaced above the bottom wall of the stationary section, and pairs of links pivoted at one end to points spaced along the lower ends of the movable section end walls and at another end to points spaced along the lower ends of the stationary section end walls enabling swinging said movable section upwardly and outwardly of said stationary section to an'extendedposition alongside of said stationary section with the free ends ofthe endwalls of the sections in close proximity to 'each other, a horizontal frame underlyingsaid stationary section, said stationary section and said'frame 236,289 Wooldridge Jan. 4, 1881 (Other references on following page) 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 765,712 Schwartzman July 26, 1904 5,529 Great Britain 1897 980,631 Hammond Ian. 3, 1911 73,670 Switzerland Nov. 1, 1916 1,576,316 Duvall Mar. 9, 1926 495,483 Belgium Nov. 3, 1950 1,667,080 Ramsey Apr. 24, 1923 5 622,610 Great Britain May 4, 1949 1,721,559 Herz July 23, 1929 643,832 Germany Apr. 17, 1937 2,651,057 Power Sept. 8, 1953 

